Stellantis plans to patent heated wheel wells to prevent snow and ice accumulation during winter driving. This feature is described in a patent application published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on October 31, 2024, but filed by the automotive group on April 25, 2023. As described in the filing, this new technology developed by John Elkann‘s company would be based on an electric heating element incorporated into the wheel well, with a wire or other connection to provide power from the vehicle.
Stellantis has filed a patent for heated wheel wells that are perfect for frost and snow conditions
The heating system would be positioned between the vehicle’s body and a protective wheel well liner, designed to withstand weather conditions and protect both the heating element and its wiring. Despite the protection, the generated heat would be able to pass through the wheel well liner, effectively melting ice and snow, as stated by Stellantis.
In particularly cold countries, ice blocks or snow accumulations could form in the wheel well area, ready to detach at any moment during driving, thus becoming dangerous for following vehicles. Such accumulations could also obstruct any cameras or sensors used for driver assistance systems, or hinder the operation of retractable side steps like those on Ram pickup trucks.
The company, formed in 2021 from the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Groupe, has also discussed the option of using a conductive film for the heating element, which could be applied directly to specific surfaces. This solution is particularly suitable for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which use their high-voltage battery pack to power the heating, optimizing the wheel wells’ energy efficiency.
Not all patented ideas reach the production phase, but this could be a rather simple yet practical feature, not very different from the pull-out tray tables for front seats that Stellantis recently sought to patent.